April 22nd.
On the 20th, there were only 1.6 million WeChat users. On the 22nd, in two days, WeChat registered users reached 2 million!
At this time, although Tencent hadn't come up with a better plan, Ma Huateng couldn't sit still anymore.
Li Dong wanted to fight in May, but that didn't mean that Ma Huateng had to do as he wished!
…
Shenzhen.
Feiyada Building.
Ma Huateng's expression was solemn to the extreme as he said with a heavy expression, "Everyone, Li Dong's objective is already very clear! Far Away's goal is not Ali, not Suning, not Bailian, not any other company. It's Tencent! "
"His goal has always been Tencent!
In the early stage, I was numb and negligent. This is an unforgivable mistake!
Here, I apologize to all of you. I underestimated the enemy. It was my negligence that made me make the wrong judgment!
Li Dong told me a long time ago that he wanted to defeat me in the mobile terminal, in the era of the mobile internet …
I didn't pay attention to it at the beginning. Later on, I paid attention, but I was indecisive and didn't make a decision immediately. All of this is wrong!
Here, I have to say that I'm sorry to all of you, to all the investors, and to our users.
It's not the first day that Li Dong coveted Tencent. From when he took over our 'Dungeon Fighter', to when he acquired Smiling Gate, and when they followed Tencent's lead, making gaming halls, PP spaces, and PP mailboxes …
These series of actions all showed that he was planning for a second Tencent!
His ambition to use Far Away's technology to replace Tencent didn't arise in a short period of time!
In the early stage, because I underestimated the enemy, I gave Far Away the opportunity to expand.
In the later stage, because I was afraid and didn't want both sides to suffer losses, I didn't suppress Far Away's development!
Now, our crisis is here!
Since January 2009, Distance has been preparing for a decisive battle with us.
Their interactive entertainment company is constantly negotiating with the game companies we represent. They are talking about acquisition and transfer of agency rights. Some of the game companies even broke their contracts and chose to work with Far away!
Their Weibo and web portals are also continuously squeezing our web portals' market share.
So far away, they've been sparing no expense in other industries. Whatever we do, they'll do … "
Ma Huateng said excitedly, "Now that I'm saying all this, I'm under the suspicion of saying it in hindsight. Many people will say, 'Since you already knew all this, why didn't you prepare for the bloody battle earlier?'
There were even some companions who had previously proposed to restrict the living space Far away.
But why didn't the Tencent take action?
I admit, I'm a little afraid. I'm afraid of Li Dong, afraid of Far Away. Before I see the big picture, I'm worried that if we start a war with Far Away, it will anger Li Dong, causing him to attack Tencent at all costs!
Tencent, although not considered weak in the internet industry, compared to Far Away, we are weak!
Our annual revenue is less than 7 billion RMB, and our profit is less than 3 billion RMB!
I'm afraid, I'm afraid. Li Dong is giving me a lot of pressure. In the industry, everyone thinks that he's a lunatic!
Once we take the initiative to attack, he's very likely to invest tens of billions, or even more, to attack us. Even if he loses all the money, he doesn't care.
So I don't dare, I can't, and I'm even more unwilling to be his opponent.
However, my fear, my tolerance, did not exchange for Li Dong's kindness.
Now, Li Dong wants to destroy our foundation and completely destroy us!
Everyone, at this moment, I can't bear it anymore, and I can't be afraid. I can only stake it all and fight with my life on the line! "
Ma Huateng admitted that he was afraid of Li Dong. He was afraid of Li Dong, not only because he had underestimated him, but also because everyone in the industry knew that Li Dong was not someone to be trifled with. Once he was trifled with, he would bite you like a mad dog, and he wouldn't stop until he was dead!
Although no one said it, in the Hua Xia business world, how many people were not afraid of Li Dong?
It's a fact that he, Ma Huateng, was afraid of Li Dong!
In fact, most of the Tencent people were afraid of Li Dong!
Ma Huateng exposed his own shortcomings, just like Ma Yun back then. He didn't hesitate to step on himself first, so that everyone could put down all their worries and prepare for the war!
After saying that, Ma Huateng said in an agitated tone, "Since the launch of Far Away's WeChat, it also means that the final plan of Far Away has been completed!
Maybe you are wondering, how can a software with less than 2 million users be the final plan of Far Away, the final trump card?
Then let me tell you, we have been neglecting one thing, or maybe it's not negligence, but from the beginning to the end, all of you, including me, didn't pay attention to it!
The international WeChat version of WeChat, on April 14th, which is the day before we launched our WeChat chat, was launched globally!
There wasn't much publicity, and it was as silent as WeChat.
However, in eight days, they had accumulated millions of users overseas!
This speed of development made me completely realize that we were in big trouble!
Around 20 days, more than 3 million users, no publicity, no publicity, this isn't Li Dong's style, and it isn't an achievement that a software designed by a nobody can achieve.
WeChat's positioning is completely a mobile IM software, and I am sure that the current WeChat is not the final version of Far Away, nor is it the final WeChat model.
Li Dong is lulling us!
Unfortunately, although we have been paying attention, we are still lulling us, and we still didn't pay the greatest attention.
If I guessed correctly, in May, when the virtual currency fund was launched, it attracted attention from all over the world. Thousands of people went offline online, and everyone was waiting for the battle between Far Away and Ali, when Li Dong chose to declare war on us!
His earlier push to reduce the traffic fees, the rapid expansion of the 3G user base, and the cooperation with OPPO and Mobile to reach 30 million custom-made mobile phones, were all left as a trump card for Tencent!
Everyone, the most dangerous moment is coming!
I know that some of you will be afraid, afraid, and even afraid to face Far Away head-on.
Why?
Because he is a legend, a living legend, the richest man in the world, the number one person in Hua Xia's business world, the tycoon of the business world …
But does fear mean that we have to make way for his success and glory?
Are we willing to be a stepping stone on his path to becoming a legend?
11 years of ups and downs, we have gone through together, 11 years of perseverance, 11 years of not abandoning, 11 years of youth and time, we have all stayed with Tencent!
Be it fear, be it fear, tell me, are you willing to fail like this?
Are you willing to be defeated like this, afraid before the battle has even begun?
Even if we are timid, we have to face it with our heads held high. Li Dong is a legend, and so are we!
He is just picking up the words of others, walking the path that we have walked before, there is nothing to worry about!
Tencent, can't be defeated by money alone. No matter how rich he is, without talent, technology, and user accumulation, he still can't surpass Tencent!
Our 11 years of accumulation, is it not as good as the technology that he created Far Away in three years?
Everyone, at this moment, there can only be a battle, and there must be a battle!
I know very clearly, this battle concerns our life and death, everyone, we have no other way out! "
The faces of the people below the stage were heavy, excited, and worried, but no one refuted.
Ma Huateng was not lying, a long time ago, someone suggested to him to suppress Far Away's living space first.
But most of the executives, including a few of Tencent's major shareholders, did not agree with this proposal, not just Brother Ma.
Start a war with Li Dong?
Everyone was not too willing!
Moreover, Tencent was established eight years earlier than Far Away Technology, Far Away Technology only really had a system in 2006.
Many people also did not think that Far Away could catch up to Tencent so quickly.
In the later period, Far Away actually concealed their own user data, PP's users, including some related revenue, were all brushed off, rarely mentioned to the outside world.
This also caused the outside world to be careless about the strength of Far Away PP.
Ma Huateng had a rough idea, but he was actually also afraid, the last time Gome's merger, he actually had the idea.
He wanted to give Far Away a fatal blow when they were competing with Gome.
But at that time, he contacted some companies, but no one responded, the Internet industry, including Ma Yun, all rejected his proposal.
Because at that time, Far Away had not decided to fully enter the C2C field, the main competition with Ali was still in the payment system, and at that time, Ali also needed Far Away to promote it together.
So, in the end, it became Ma Huateng who was the one to make peace, and not take the opportunity to attack Far Away.
Later, Li Dong's paralysis, indeed made Ma Huateng hesitate.
Originally, he was prepared to go back and start a war with Far Away after the Alliance Conference.
In the end, Li Dong threw out the matter of the Virtual Currency Fund, and also talked to him about acquiring Pat Pai Net, and entering the C2C field, which made him hesitate even more.
But it was precisely these few moments of hesitation that gave Li Dong time.
His WeChat had already begun to invade the mobile market, and his PP-related industries had also been making small moves recently.
Unknowingly, other than QQ, Tencent seemed to have nothing else to show.
At that moment, Ma Huateng was completely awake!
If he did not counterattack, if he did not make any moves, Tencent could very well be eliminated Far Away without a sound!
The others saw that he was serious, and it seemed that he had already made up his mind. Xu Chenye, one of the Five Tiger Generals of Tencent, said with a straight face, "Pony, we all know the threat that Far Away poses to us!
I just want to confirm one thing, do you really want to choose this time to break off relations with Far Away?
Also, have you talked to MIH and ABSA Bank?
Finally, after the break, where do we start to counterattack? Do we do it alone, or do we join forces with other companies to counterattack? What are these plans?
Don't blame me for pouring cold water on you, but if we don't make a foolproof plan, based on our current strength, the odds of winning against Far Away are not high.
Even if we agree, our shareholders and investors will not agree.
In their eyes, Li Dong is a god!
None of the companies that go against Li Dong will end up well.
Especially on the 12th, when Li Dong ascended to the position of the World's Richest Man, he became a legend, and was put on a pedestal … "
Ma Huateng said faintly, "I know this, the position of the World's Richest Man might not have originally belonged to him. If I'm not wrong, the previous Forbes list, Li Dong's personal will was in it!"
Some people were slightly stunned, and then suddenly came to a realization.
Li Dong wanted to put himself on a pedestal!
Originally, although he had been called a legend, it was only limited to the East, and even Hua Xia.
However, when he sat on the throne of the World's Richest Man, his legend was no longer an Eastern legend, but a global legend!
Tencent's investors, especially the two major shareholders, MIH and ABSA Bank, were all foreign capital institutions.
Even if they had some understanding of Li Dong before, because Li Dong had been struggling with Hua Xia, and his Weibo was not online in Africa, the two headquarters did not really have a deep understanding of Li Dong.
This time, they did not have to take the initiative to understand.
Not everyone could become the World's Richest Man.
At this critical time, if the two companies hesitated, it could cause a fatal blow to Tencent.
Of course, Tencent was different from Ali. Currently, almost all of Tencent's voting rights were in the hands of Ma Huateng's team. The two companies had no right to intervene in the company's operations and strategic layout.
However, it would be a joke to say that the major shareholders could not affect the company at all.
If the two companies felt that there was a risk and sold a large number of Tencent shares, cashed out, and ran away, then Tencent would not need to be attacked by Li Dong, it would be finished.
Even if they cashed out, it did not mean that they could sell as they wished. Now that Tencent had been listed for so many years, the sale period had long passed. If they really wanted to cash out, unless Ma Huateng's team used a large amount of funds to buy back their own shares, there would be nothing Ma Huateng could do if the other party ran away.
In response to Xu Chenye's question, Ma Huateng slowly said, "After all, MIH and ABSA Bank have been working with us for many years. I have communicated with both sides before. MIH will fully support us. After all, if we are defeated Far away, they will also suffer heavy losses. As for ABSA Bank … "
Speaking up to this point, Ma Huateng paused for a moment, and the others began to understand.
The two major shareholders of Tencent actually held Tencent shares, but they were not the same.
Speaking of the major shareholders of Tencent, it was actually a bit complicated.
MIH was a subsidiary of Naspers (South African Press), and Naspers also had many shareholders. One of the shareholders was PIC, and PIC also had its own shareholders, one of which was Standard Bank of South Africa.
In 2008, ICBC acquired 20% of Standard Bank's shares. Of course, this did not mean that ICBC became the major shareholder of Tencent. In fact, Tencent and ICBC did not have much of an ownership relationship.
There were many layers of separation between the two parties, and at most, they were distant relatives.
Of course, this did not matter. The key was that MIH chose to hold Tencent shares, and that was because they were really optimistic about the company's future.
The other shareholder, ABSA Bank, held Tencent shares, which was actually mortgaged by MIH's parent company, Naspers. The reason why MIH kept holding it was that Naspers did not choose to buy it back, and also because Tencent's prospects were good a few years ago, so MIH did not let go.
Because MIH believed in Tencent and their own vision, they would not give up in a short period of time even if they encountered a crisis.
However, ABSA Bank held Tencent shares, not because they invested in Tencent, but because they found it profitable after taking over Tencent's shares.
Once there was no profit, it was almost inevitable to give up.
The communication between Ma Huateng and ABSA Bank did not go smoothly. ABSA Bank was not very supportive of a decisive battle with the assets of the world's richest man.
These words were a bit of a blow to morale, so Ma Huateng simply reminded them and said in a deep voice, "No matter what their opinions are, don't forget, Tencent is still our Tencent!"
Compared to Ma Yun, Ma Huateng was much more at ease.
From the beginning, the other shareholders only had the right to receive dividends, and the voting rights were almost all in the hands of their team. Therefore, no matter what their opinions were, it did not matter if Ma Huateng listened or not.
Moreover, ABSA Bank did not hold a lot of shares, and it was enough to deal with MIH!
Hearing this, the others did not refute.
Ma Huateng was not here to discuss this with them today. Since he had set the tone, Tencent could only do so!
As the founders, as long as they were still in power, they held great power. Their words carried enormous weight, and it was useless for others to object!
Even Ma Yun could force a resolution when Yahoo caused trouble, let alone Ma Huateng.
After setting the tone for a counterattack, everyone began a long discussion.
Ma Huateng also needed to discuss with them how to counterattack Far away.
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